It's business as usual for Rotorua bar manager Stevie Mitchell, who was the victim of a vicious robbery earlier this month.
The 23-year-old was forced to hand over money from pokie Machines by one of two masked gunmen who burst into the Ruck 'n Maul Bar on
the corner of Eruera and Amohia Sts on Sunday, December 3.
Miss Mitchell took three days off to recover but is now back working as normal - despite the robbers still being on the loose.
Eight bar patrons were made to lie on the floor in the bar's TAB area while the offenders made Miss Mitchell open 16 poker machines. It took about 10 minutes.
Two patrons were bashed with the butt of a rifle. One required stitches and the other suffered a swollen jaw.
The robbers took Miss Mitchell's car, dumping it in Kuirau Park where they transferred to a waiting getaway vehicle.
Miss Mitchell said she started feeling safe again at work last week, admitting that even then she found herself looking at patrons carefully.
She said she was trying to put the robbery behind her, despite the police not yet catching the offenders.
"It's annoying they have not been caught but the police are doing what they can."
She said the bar had made some changes to its security to make it harder for the premises to be targeted for a repeat robbery.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper of the Rotorua CIB said police had definitely not given up trying to find the robbers.
"Inquiries are still continuing. We have got about three or four different things to look at yet."
He said it was possible the offenders were from out of town.
"We are working our way through a huge list of people."
He said the style of robbery was concerning, not only because firearms were used but because of the offenders' method and the time they took. He said there were some similarities to the triple murders at a South Auckland RSA in December 2001. "It just takes some idiot to pull the trigger and it's over for the person on the receiving end."
One of the Rotorua robbers was caught on camera when he lifted up his balaclava, but so far he has not been identified.
Anyone with information can call police on (07) 348 0099 or 0800 TIPOFF (0800 847633).
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